Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

imidazol97 · January 2021

Car shopping topic change.

Suggestions?

Son has started making noises about replacing his 15 Cruze with a new sedan. He's thinking of Camry, Corolla, Accord, Civic, and I told him to look at Sonata or Kia 5 and the Elantra and Forte which offer the longest warranty which would be to their benefit if they can cash in on the warranty when there's a problem with the HyuKia product. He lives within spitting distance of a Kia store and Hyunda store along with toyota and Honda. But I told him most likely he'd end up buying in Columbus where's they'd have a model and color exactly what he'd decide he liked eventually.

I told him the CVT transmissions in some engine combinations are much better for some cars, like they even
shift. But I suggested a pick that had a real transmission with those things in it called "gears." I also suggested picking the vehicles that normally aspirated engines. If he likes small I think the Elantra/Kia can fit that. Otherwise, Camry?

Anyone have input on various models? I told him not to get anything special like higher powered motor. Just get the most car with the most features of the safety nanny type he wants.

I also told him to make a check list for any model to be sure it has the features he wants. This would be his car to drive to work.

qbrozen · January 2021

Why does he need such basic transportation? He has no desire for anything with some spunk or coolness? Just curious. I mean, the Accent I believe is about the cheapest non-Nissan there is. So if cheap is the goal, look no further. (Ok, I checked and there are cheaper, but does he really want a Spark or Mirage?)

If I was trying to get cheap ... and recently went through this with my sister ... a CPO Soul can't be beat. She got one with like 10k miles for under $15k OTD. An automatic + model. I just can't see getting something with less utility to maybe save $1k-$2k.

driver100 · January 2021

@imidazol97 I think you gave him good solid advice.........Qs suggestion makes sense too. Safest bet is probably Toyotas, Corolla or Camry if he can come up with the extra bucks. Hyundai, Kias good too, Hondas hold up well.
One thing to think about, he might be paying it off over 5 years or more, so it might be worth getting the car he really wants even if it costs more....like say for $1500 more you can get a much better car, that's only about $300 more a year.
And that car may cost less in the long run because he won't want to trade it in earlier to get the car he should have got the first time.

oldfarmer50 · January 2021

imidazol97 said:
Car shopping topic change.

Suggestions?

Son has started making noises about replacing his 15 Cruze with a new sedan. He's thinking of Camry, Corolla, Accord, Civic, and I told him to look at Sonata or Kia 5 and the Elantra and Forte which offer the longest warranty which would be to their benefit if they can cash in on the warranty when there's a problem with the HyuKia product. He lives within spitting distance of a Kia store and Hyunda store along with toyota and Honda. But I told him most likely he'd end up buying in Columbus where's they'd have a model and color exactly what he'd decide he liked eventually.

I told him the CVT transmissions in some engine combinations are much better for some cars, like they even
shift. But I suggested a pick that had a real transmission with those things in it called "gears." I also suggested picking the vehicles that normally aspirated engines. If he likes small I think the Elantra/Kia can fit that. Otherwise, Camry?

Anyone have input on various models? I told him not to get anything special like higher powered motor. Just get the most car with the most features of the safety nanny type he wants.

I also told him to make a check list for any model to be sure it has the features he wants. This would be his car to drive to work.

I agree with your recommendation of a non-CVT car with a NA engine. Especially if he plans on keeping it a long time. If he wants it to go 300k miles get the Toyota.

oldfarmer50 · January 2021

qbrozen said:
Why does he need such basic transportation? He has no desire for anything with some spunk or coolness? Just curious. I mean, the Accent I believe is about the cheapest non-Nissan there is. So if cheap is the goal, look no further. (Ok, I checked and there are cheaper, but does he really want a Spark or Mirage?)

If I was trying to get cheap ... and recently went through this with my sister ... a CPO Soul can't be beat. She got one with like 10k miles for under $15k OTD. An automatic + model. I just can't see getting something with less utility to maybe save $1k-$2k.

I have to give an up vote for the Soul+ for it’s larger 2.0L engine and geared transmission. If he can get past the ugly factor.

I can’t attest to longevity as mine only has 13k miles so far.

Michaell · January 2021

What makes you think he’s gonna keep the new car forever?

It’s not like he is driving a 2003 Cavalier with 185k on it. The Cruze is only six years old. While I don’t disagree with a HyunKia for the warranty, he may not keep it long enough to get full use out of it.

That said, I don’t disagree with what’s been recommended. Maybe throw the Mazda 6 into the mix, as it has a traditional automatic.

stickguy · January 2021

or a mazda 3to match up to the smaller sized models. NA engine and 6 speed slushbox.

tjc78 · January 2021

I saw a higher line Sonata the other day in a dark blue color. It looks far more upscale than it is.

That and the Elantra are certainly worth a look. I can’t warm up to Toyota much these days, but you generally can’t go wrong with their sedans either for good transportation.

I had a 2017 Elantra and it was a good car. Did everything well and zero problems during my ownership. It was also fairly roomy.

driver100 · January 2021

"@Michaell"
. While I don’t disagree with a HyunKia for the warranty, he may not keep it long enough to get full use out of it.

If he gets a HyunKia and he takes it in for service, put a big sign inside..NO DRINKS OR FOOD ALLOWED.

ab348 · January 2021

The new-style catfish-face Sonata really does nothing for me.

Interesting side note: the other day I was listening to Vicki Butler-Henderson's podcast and she had Mike Brewer of Wheeler Dealers fame as a guest. He said that he had packed up his things and fully relocated back to the UK after 6 years of living in Southern California. The interesting comment came in a discussion of popular cars when he said that on the freeways in SoCal about 80% of the newer cars he would see were Hyundai/Kia. Now 80% is obviously an exaggeration but it did make me wonder how big their market share is these days (followed immediately by how they handle their warranty claims at such a high share).

kyfdx · January 2021

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.

After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)

snakeweasel · January 2021

ab348 said:
The new-style catfish-face Sonata really does nothing for me.

Interesting side note: the other day I was listening to Vicki Butler-Henderson's podcast and she had Mike Brewer of Wheeler Dealers fame as a guest. He said that he had packed up his things and fully relocated back to the UK after 6 years of living in Southern California. The interesting comment came in a discussion of popular cars when he said that on the freeways in SoCal about 80% of the newer cars he would see were Hyundai/Kia. Now 80% is obviously an exaggeration but it did make me wonder how big their market share is these days (followed immediately by how they handle their warranty claims at such a high share).

I really don't think that a high share of the market would affect how the manufacturer handles warranty claims. On the dealer side if they are selling that many cars they have the dealership network to support servicing cars including warranty claims. On the manufacturer side they have a pretty good estimate on how much warranty work will be needed on the average car they sell. They then set aside that amount for every car they sell, it's actually expensed when the car is sold.

snakeweasel · January 2021

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)

One question I now have, and I will test it out next time I'm driving the BMW, can the start/stop be deactivated in eco mode? I've never tried it but I know if it's off in another mode and you put it in eco mode it automatically goes on. Yesterday I drove it to work and on the way home i put it in eco mode and drove it home very conservatively, The cars computer stated that I added 1.5 miles onto the range of the car, not bad considering it was only a 10.5 mile trip.

graphicguy · January 2021

I’ve driven the new Sonata when I was doing transports. I was dutifully impressed. Everything was well thought out. Engineered well. Not going to win any stop light wars with it, but that shouldn’t matter if he’s looking at “base” models of anything.

Accords, Corollas, etc are always a safe bet. I love my KIA. But, dealerships make all the difference (as they do with most any car). I’ve seen the K5, from a distance and like it, though. Probably a clone of the Sonata.

abacomike · January 2021

imidazol97 said:
Car shopping topic change.

Suggestions?

Son has started making noises about replacing his 15 Cruze with a new sedan. He's thinking of Camry, Corolla, Accord, Civic, and I told him to look at Sonata or Kia 5 and the Elantra and Forte which offer the longest warranty which would be to their benefit if they can cash in on the warranty when there's a problem with the HyuKia product. He lives within spitting distance of a Kia store and Hyunda store along with toyota and Honda. But I told him most likely he'd end up buying in Columbus where's they'd have a model and color exactly what he'd decide he liked eventually.

I told him the CVT transmissions in some engine combinations are much better for some cars, like they even
shift. But I suggested a pick that had a real transmission with those things in it called "gears." I also suggested picking the vehicles that normally aspirated engines. If he likes small I think the Elantra/Kia can fit that. Otherwise, Camry?

Anyone have input on various models? I told him not to get anything special like higher powered motor. Just get the most car with the most features of the safety nanny type he wants.

I also told him to make a check list for any model to be sure it has the features he wants. This would be his car to drive to work.

The Toyota Camry would be my pick. With all the nanny goodies and AWD, a nicely equipped vehicle runs about $27,000. I’d get it in red with black interior.

abacomike · January 2021

snakeweasel said:

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)
One question I now have, and I will test it out next time I'm driving the BMW, can the start/stop be deactivated in eco mode? I've never tried it but I know if it's off in another mode and you put it in eco mode it automatically goes on. Yesterday I drove it to work and on the way home i put it in eco mode and drove it home very conservatively, The cars computer stated that I added 1.5 miles onto the range of the car, not bad considering it was only a 10.5 mile trip.

If I am in economy mode, I can still shut off the stop/start function by pressing the button on my console. Economy mode shifts gears faster so that you reach the highest gear quickly.

stickguy · January 2021

I dealt with service at 4 different Hyundai dealers. No problems with any of them, and pretty much like being at a Honda dealer. Of course, I only had routine maintenance and a couple minor little recall items.

abacomike · January 2021

I just got an email reminder from my HOA regarding my second vaccine shot. I have an appointment for 1:00 PM next Thursday. I am going to assume that they will have sufficient vaccines for those who had their first shot and have an appointment. I was reminded to bring the card they gave me after my first shot which has specific information about kind of vaccine, lot number of the vaccine, and date and time.

I've been reading quite a bit about the many variants (mutations) of this virus. It would seem that the current vaccines should be effective against the virus's variants, however there are new variants being identified quite frequently which may require some adjustments to the vaccines already being used as well as those still in their testing stages. My fear is that this virus may be with us for quite some time - not just through December, but for several years. I just hope my fears are temporary.

Social distancing, hand sanitizing and wearing a mask at all times when out in public remains the best way to avoid contracting this virus and to fight this virus from spreading. I pray there is a light at the end of this tunnel.

snakeweasel · January 2021

abacomike said:

snakeweasel said:

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)
One question I now have, and I will test it out next time I'm driving the BMW, can the start/stop be deactivated in eco mode? I've never tried it but I know if it's off in another mode and you put it in eco mode it automatically goes on. Yesterday I drove it to work and on the way home i put it in eco mode and drove it home very conservatively, The cars computer stated that I added 1.5 miles onto the range of the car, not bad considering it was only a 10.5 mile trip.
If I am in economy mode, I can still shut off the stop/start function by pressing the button on my console. Economy mode shifts gears faster so that you reach the highest gear quickly.

What modes does your BMW have? We have an eco mode, a comfort mode and a sport mode. I see a major difference in the shifting between the sports mode and the other modes but there is really no difference in shifting between the comfort mode and the eco mode. The big difference between the comfort and eco modes is that the eco mode does reduce power to power draining items like A/C, heated seats and steering wheel and such, as well as activating the stop/start function.

jmonroe1 · January 2021

driver100 said:
"@Michaell"
. While I don’t disagree with a HyunKia for the warranty, he may not keep it long enough to get full use out of it.

If he gets a HyunKia and he takes it in for service, put a big sign inside..NO DRINKS OR FOOD ALLOWED.

I’d go along with that for a Kia but for a Hyundai I’d tell him not to do his own oil changes. If he ignores that warning just be sure to tell him not to screw up his “oil change log documentation”.

jmonroe

tjc78 · January 2021

stickguy said:
I dealt with service at 4 different Hyundai dealers. No problems with any of them, and pretty much like being at a Honda dealer. Of course, I only had routine maintenance and a couple minor little recall items.

Same here. It was no different than any other mainstream dealer I’ve dealt with.

abacomike · January 2021

I just found my first scratch on my E450 - it's in the center of the right rear door, about 3/4 of an inch in length and not easily noticeable (not a deep scratch). Have no idea how or when it was done since I always approach my car from the left driver's side. So when I was at the dealership yesterday for a carwash, their body shop rep was there. I asked if I could have an estimate of what it would cost to repair. I just got an email with the estimate - $753. It seems they want to repaint the entire door which requires quite a bit of labor.

My best friend told me that he uses a guy who "air-sprays" the correct color using the car's VIN # and charges under $100. So I will go with him to get an estimate from him.

Even though the scratch is hardly noticeable, I KNOW IT'S THERE and is driving me nuts, if you know what I mean. What I really should do is go to some psychiatrist and have him/her hypnotize me and plant the suggestion that, "...my car is perfect and has no scratches...", but it would cost much less to just have the scratch repaired.

So I have decided to see how long I can live with the hardly noticeable scratch! It's not a leased car and so long as I have wax over it, it should not cause any problems. I think the doors are aluminum alloy anyway and won't rust. I just have to put it out of my mind!!!:

kyfdx · January 2021

snakeweasel said:

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)
One question I now have, and I will test it out next time I'm driving the BMW, can the start/stop be deactivated in eco mode? I've never tried it but I know if it's off in another mode and you put it in eco mode it automatically goes on. Yesterday I drove it to work and on the way home i put it in eco mode and drove it home very conservatively, The cars computer stated that I added 1.5 miles onto the range of the car, not bad considering it was only a 10.5 mile trip.

Haven't tried Eco mode. Next time, I'll report back (we've only had it for 3+ years.. lol)

bwia · January 2021

@imid, your son is going against the SUV trend. Still, I can't argue with the recommendations of my poster buddies but may I add that he consider a compact or sub-compact CUV. To me, some of the most interesting stylish (ICE and EV) new vehicles out there are SUVs and CUVs especially from Kia and Hyundai. I would give them a look see.

oldfarmer50 · January 2021

stickguy said:
or a mazda 3to match up to the smaller sized models. NA engine and 6 speed slushbox.

I like Mazdas especially the Mazda6 although I don’t see why they still call it the 6 when you can only get it with a 4.

oldfarmer50 · January 2021

driver100 said:
"@Michaell"
. While I don’t disagree with a HyunKia for the warranty, he may not keep it long enough to get full use out of it.

If he gets a HyunKia and he takes it in for service, put a big sign inside..NO DRINKS OR FOOD ALLOWED.

I’d put in a hidden dash cam too.

https://youtu.be/aril0QjNYks

sda · January 2021

I took today off as I have some carryover time to burn and had a service appointment for the Q5. It was the 45k service though the car has less than 42k and also was the last pre-paid service. This one was essentially an oil and filter change and general inspection. I was expecting some type of up sell. They only suggested a tire rotation and/or balance which I declined knowing the rear tires will need replacement fairly soon. They are at 4/32. Happily that had me in and out within an hour and no out of pocket expense. A positive experience.

tjc78 · January 2021

abacomike said:
I just found my first scratch on my E450 - it's in the center of the right rear door, about 3/4 of an inch in length and not easily noticeable (not a deep scratch). Have no idea how or when it was done since I always approach my car from the left driver's side. So when I was at the dealership yesterday for a carwash, their body shop rep was there. I asked if I could have an estimate of what it would cost to repair. I just got an email with the estimate - $753. It seems they want to repaint the entire door which requires quite a bit of labor.

My best friend told me that he uses a guy who "air-sprays" the correct color using the car's VIN # and charges under $100. So I will go with him to get an estimate from him.

Even though the scratch is hardly noticeable, I KNOW IT'S THERE and is driving me nuts, if you know what I mean. What I really should do is go to some psychiatrist and have him/her hypnotize me and plant the suggestion that, "...my car is perfect and has no scratches...", but it would cost much less to just have the scratch repaired.

So I have decided to see how long I can live with the hardly noticeable scratch! It's not a leased car and so long as I have wax over it, it should not cause any problems. I think the doors are aluminum alloy anyway and won't rust. I just have to put it out of my mind!!!:

It is down to the metal? If it’s only a clear coat scratch a good detailer could do a little wet sand and buff to make it disappear.

If you wet the area and the scratch is no longer visible it can be fixed this way.

sda · January 2021

While at the Audi dealership I looked at some new Q3/5s and A4s. To get a nicely equipped but not top of the line Q3 is $41k, Q5 is $50k, A4 is $45k. None had the tech package or B&O audio. The pano roof is now a $1500 option on the Q5. Call me unimpressed with those prices. I had forgotten the Q5 is now built in Mexico with the engine built in Mexico as well (2.0t). They are all nice vehicles, however.

jmonroe1 · January 2021

oldfarmer50 said:

stickguy said:
or a mazda 3to match up to the smaller sized models. NA engine and 6 speed slushbox.
I like Mazdas especially the Mazda6 although I don’t see why they still call it the 6 when you can only get it with a 4.

It was probably lack of thought when they first launched that model. I doubt they’d go through a name change now. So, the model name is forever grandfathered, cast in concrete, etc. It ain’t changing now.

jmonroe

oldfarmer50 · January 2021

abacomike said:
I just found my first scratch on my E450 - it's in the center of the right rear door, about 3/4 of an inch in length and not easily noticeable (not a deep scratch). Have no idea how or when it was done since I always approach my car from the left driver's side. So when I was at the dealership yesterday for a carwash, their body shop rep was there. I asked if I could have an estimate of what it would cost to repair. I just got an email with the estimate - $753. It seems they want to repaint the entire door which requires quite a bit of labor.

My best friend told me that he uses a guy who "air-sprays" the correct color using the car's VIN # and charges under $100. So I will go with him to get an estimate from him.

Even though the scratch is hardly noticeable, I KNOW IT'S THERE and is driving me nuts, if you know what I mean. What I really should do is go to some psychiatrist and have him/her hypnotize me and plant the suggestion that, "...my car is perfect and has no scratches...", but it would cost much less to just have the scratch repaired.

So I have decided to see how long I can live with the hardly noticeable scratch! It's not a leased car and so long as I have wax over it, it should not cause any problems. I think the doors are aluminum alloy anyway and won't rust. I just have to put it out of my mind!!!:

If that air spray is what they did on scratches I had on a used car many years ago, it’s a temporary fix. The scratch will reappear at some point.

How long are you keeping it?

jmonroe1 · January 2021

@Mike, it’s always tuff when you find the first scratch. I’m surprised it took this long since you don’t have a garage and you’re always parking outside due to living in an “old age camp”. If it was me I’d ignore it because it has to happen again. :@

jmonroe

ab348 · January 2021

sda said:
While at the Audi dealership I looked at some new Q3/5s and A4s. To get a nicely equipped but not top of the line Q3 is $41k, Q5 is $50k, A4 is $45k. None had the tech package or B&O audio. The pano roof is now a $1500 option on the Q5. Call me unimpressed with those prices. I had forgotten the Q5 is now built in Mexico with the engine built in Mexico as well (2.0t). They are all nice vehicles, however.

Yep, a local acquaintance writes freelance car reviews for various sites and tested a Q3 late last year that stickered at $54K in worthless Canadian dollars. Probably a fully loaded press fleet car, but still. No way would I pay that.

andres3 · January 2021

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.

I just have a big fast foot. @stickguy brings up a good point, with a typical automatic transmission you expect to already be moving forward by the time your foot hits the gas pedal, not just starting to rev up the engine.

jmonroe1 · January 2021

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
I just have a big fast foot. @stickguy brings up a good point, with a typical automatic transmission you expect to already be moving forward by the time your foot hits the gas pedal, not just starting to rev up the engine.

REALLY ?

jmonroe

fintail · January 2021

Hey, the loonie has gained a good 5-10% on the greenback over the past 10 months or so, I think.

Audi moving these models to Mexico amuses me, as there's no savings to go along with it.

ab348 said:

Yep, a local acquaintance writes freelance car reviews for various sites and tested a Q3 late last year that stickered at $54K in worthless Canadian dollars. Probably a fully loaded press fleet car, but still. No way would I pay that.

fintail · January 2021

Can you "buff it out" so to speak? A good cut and polish can do a lot for minor marks.

I have no real scratches yet, but a few rock marks on the front - gotta love plastic. These cars should come with a clear bra standard, for what they cost.

abacomike said:
I just found my first scratch on my E450 - it's in the center of the right rear door, about 3/4 of an inch in length and not easily noticeable (not a deep scratch). Have no idea how or when it was done since I always approach my car from the left driver's side. So when I was at the dealership yesterday for a carwash, their body shop rep was there. I asked if I could have an estimate of what it would cost to repair. I just got an email with the estimate - $753. It seems they want to repaint the entire door which requires quite a bit of labor.
So I have decided to see how long I can live with the hardly noticeable scratch! It's not a leased car and so long as I have wax over it, it should not cause any problems. I think the doors are aluminum alloy anyway and won't rust. I just have to put it out of my mind!!!:

tjc78 · January 2021

fintail said:
Can you "buff it out" so to speak? A good cut and polish can do a lot for minor marks.

I have no real scratches yet, but a few rock marks on the front - gotta love plastic. These cars should come with a clear bra standard, for what they cost.

abacomike said:
I just found my first scratch on my E450 - it's in the center of the right rear door, about 3/4 of an inch in length and not easily noticeable (not a deep scratch). Have no idea how or when it was done since I always approach my car from the left driver's side. So when I was at the dealership yesterday for a carwash, their body shop rep was there. I asked if I could have an estimate of what it would cost to repair. I just got an email with the estimate - $753. It seems they want to repaint the entire door which requires quite a bit of labor.
So I have decided to see how long I can live with the hardly noticeable scratch! It's not a leased car and so long as I have wax over it, it should not cause any problems. I think the doors are aluminum alloy anyway and won't rust. I just have to put it out of my mind!!!:

I somehow put two little scratches on the top of the bumper cover of the S60. Probably during our move where I put a ton of stuff in the trunk.

I had to buff out a pretty long blue streak on it the other day. No idea how that got there.

ab348 · January 2021

fintail said:
Hey, the loonie has gained a good 5-10% on the greenback over the past 10 months or so, I think.

It's still worthless.

andres3 · January 2021

sda said:
While at the Audi dealership I looked at some new Q3/5s and A4s. To get a nicely equipped but not top of the line Q3 is $41k, Q5 is $50k, A4 is $45k. None had the tech package or B&O audio. The pano roof is now a $1500 option on the Q5. Call me unimpressed with those prices. I had forgotten the Q5 is now built in Mexico with the engine built in Mexico as well (2.0t). They are all nice vehicles, however.

I read a recent article that said the average transaction price in the US for a new car just crossed north of $40,000. Given that, the prices don't seem out of line, but I do think they are high.

stickguy · January 2021

Mike, for your scratch, I would let a good detail guy work on it first, even without touch up paint (which would be my next step). that can be pretty effective.

I would rather leave the scratch though than have the whole door repainted, and potentially take a big hit to resale value. A dealer isn't going to care why it was done, once they know it was done.

My wife put a big scratch in the rear fender of the old RDX (really noticeable with the dark gray paint). I did a lousy DIY touch up, and at one point had a pro detail it (was a gift certificate I used). Still saw the scratch, but at least he smoothed my handiwork out! I thought about putting another coat of paint on but ended up leaving it alone. Was protected and never rusted.

explorerx4 · January 2021

One possible advantage of building in Mexico is that they can export to North/South America with no/little tariff

sda · January 2021

@abacomike, As you say it is hardly noticeable I would try to do a minimal repair as suggested by others. Unfortunately now you have your first scratch. My fear is if I repair it I am only asking for worse. My wife and daughter think I’m OCD about our cars. So unless significant I would touch it up and be done with it.

fintail · January 2021

Up to 80 cents now! I recall when I was a student and went to Vancouver every weekend, it was closer to 60 cents. I also remember as the Bush era bubble was coming to a close, the loonie was above par for a brief bit. The Euro was also around $1.50 USD, made for a more expensive vacation.

Maybe too much economic basis in resource extraction - boom and bust (and do you really want people from Alberta to have so much power?

)

ab348 said:

It's still worthless.

sda · January 2021

I hit this milestone today. Currently driving 4-500 miles a month. A far cry from what I used to drive.

fintail · January 2021

One thing about white, it is easy to buff out. Some cleaner wax and a bit on top, and it can be good as new. It's all about getting dirt out of the scratch.

tjc78 said:

I somehow put two little scratches on the top of the bumper cover of the S60. Probably during our move where I put a ton of stuff in the trunk.

I had to buff out a pretty long blue streak on it the other day. No idea how that got there.

qbrozen · January 2021

jmonroe1 said:

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
I just have a big fast foot. @stickguy brings up a good point, with a typical automatic transmission you expect to already be moving forward by the time your foot hits the gas pedal, not just starting to rev up the engine.
REALLY ?

jmonroe

None of my vehicles built in the past 2 decades have done that, as long as they are running/idling correctly. Only chance of moving without throttle input is if I'm on a hill.

abacomike · January 2021

oldfarmer50 said:

abacomike said:
I just found my first scratch on my E450 - it's in the center of the right rear door, about 3/4 of an inch in length and not easily noticeable (not a deep scratch). Have no idea how or when it was done since I always approach my car from the left driver's side. So when I was at the dealership yesterday for a carwash, their body shop rep was there. I asked if I could have an estimate of what it would cost to repair. I just got an email with the estimate - $753. It seems they want to repaint the entire door which requires quite a bit of labor.

My best friend told me that he uses a guy who "air-sprays" the correct color using the car's VIN # and charges under $100. So I will go with him to get an estimate from him.

Even though the scratch is hardly noticeable, I KNOW IT'S THERE and is driving me nuts, if you know what I mean. What I really should do is go to some psychiatrist and have him/her hypnotize me and plant the suggestion that, "...my car is perfect and has no scratches...", but it would cost much less to just have the scratch repaired.

So I have decided to see how long I can live with the hardly noticeable scratch! It's not a leased car and so long as I have wax over it, it should not cause any problems. I think the doors are aluminum alloy anyway and won't rust. I just have to put it out of my mind!!!:
If that air spray is what they did on scratches I had on a used car many years ago, it’s a temporary fix. The scratch will reappear at some point.

How long are you keeping it?

At least until the warranty is up - 4 years

qbrozen · January 2021

snakeweasel said:

abacomike said:

snakeweasel said:

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)
One question I now have, and I will test it out next time I'm driving the BMW, can the start/stop be deactivated in eco mode? I've never tried it but I know if it's off in another mode and you put it in eco mode it automatically goes on. Yesterday I drove it to work and on the way home i put it in eco mode and drove it home very conservatively, The cars computer stated that I added 1.5 miles onto the range of the car, not bad considering it was only a 10.5 mile trip.
If I am in economy mode, I can still shut off the stop/start function by pressing the button on my console. Economy mode shifts gears faster so that you reach the highest gear quickly.
What modes does your BMW have? We have an eco mode, a comfort mode and a sport mode. I see a major difference in the shifting between the sports mode and the other modes but there is really no difference in shifting between the comfort mode and the eco mode. The big difference between the comfort and eco modes is that the eco mode does reduce power to power draining items like A/C, heated seats and steering wheel and such, as well as activating the stop/start function.

I programmed the wife's to always start up in Eco mode, at her request. If I forget to turn it up when I get in, the throttle input is painfully delayed. Push the pedal to the floor and it will still basically override Eco, but if trying to drive normal, it is like driving a 100hp compact. I hate Eco mode.

driver100 · January 2021

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

kyfdx said:

snakeweasel said:

andres3 said:

qbrozen said:

andres3 said:

venture said:

tjc78 said:
I’ve been leaving start/stop on lately. Combined with auto brake hold it’s not too bad. If I’m stuck in traffic it certainly goes off, but putting around town it’s not horrible.

I used to despise it, but my wife turns it back on in her car all the time (it’s probably the one setting not tied to a profile) so I decided to give it a shot.

With as much as we drive it probably saves us 25 cents a month.
I really don't get why some people don't like it. My wife doesn't like it, but when I ask her why she just said she doesn't like it. I've learned to just let that sleeping dog lie there.

Don't get me wrong. I never said I liked it. It just doesn't bother me.
I don't like the wasted delay time, or lag.... it might only be a second or less, but multiply that by thousands over a lifetime and it adds up to a lot of wasted time.
? Meaning a waste of YOUR time? Which car is this? Sounds like a REALLY bad system if it is making you wait at all. In all cars I have had it in thus far, as soon as I begin to release the brake, it restarts. I don’t have to change anything on my part. Even if I were pretending to be Vin Diesel when the green light strikes, the engine is spinning before I can apply the gas. Zero wasted time.
Let's go to a local drag strip and test your theory. Same cars, one with stop-start, the other without, and let's race. I am willing to wager big time $$$ that using the stop-start feature will result in a greater time between A and B.
I was using the stop/start feature on the BMW today as I wasn't to play with the eco mode. In the normal motion to take my foot of the brake and putting in on the gas the car was starting as I was releasing the brake and running by the time I got my foot on the gas. So I would say that the time distance would be very slight if at all. That is unless you're one of those that sit at stop lights with one foot on the brake and the other on the gas.
After a little experience, I rarely think about the stop/start on my wife's BMW. We leave it active, unless we are in a traffic jam. Fairly unobtrusive. (4 cyl turbo). Easily defeatable, and holds your selection for the next time you start it. (IOW, you can leave it off all of the time)
One question I now have, and I will test it out next time I'm driving the BMW, can the start/stop be deactivated in eco mode? I've never tried it but I know if it's off in another mode and you put it in eco mode it automatically goes on. Yesterday I drove it to work and on the way home i put it in eco mode and drove it home very conservatively, The cars computer stated that I added 1.5 miles onto the range of the car, not bad considering it was only a 10.5 mile trip.
Haven't tried Eco mode. Next time, I'll report back (we've only had it for 3+ years.. lol)

I have used Eco mode about 3 times over the last 8 years, for a total of about 6 minutes. If I buy a car with 300+ horsepower why would I want to drive something that feels like a Chevy Spark?

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